Today, the troop called Li-Hua Lan and me into the chow hall and presented us with a set of Cavalry spurs, inscribed for Bravo Troop, 1-71 Cav. To get a pair, a guy has to do a lot more than we did. And get this: They actually thanked us for coming. In my life as a reporter, I donít think I ever received a kinder welcome than what these guys gave us. They protected us. They entertained us. They befriended us. They took us in. Then, on top of everything else, THEY thanked US.

From now on, Iím going to be like one of those military family members, who every time he sees a report about Iraq, goes queasy in the gut. I had it easy. I didnít have anybody over here that I really worried about. Now I got a whole troop.

I keep channeling the last scene in Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy suddenly realizes that to get home, sheís got to say goodbye to the friends she made. But there is no place like home. And another movie keeps playing in my head, ďPlanes, Trains and Automobiles.Ē John Candy, the crazy salesman, helps Steve Martin, the uptight family man, get home for Thanksgiving. Both of them are me.

We still have two nights in Camp Liberty, the Big Apple of military bases, then two more nights in Kuwait, home of the All-For-A Hundred Dollars Store. Then itís 30 straight hours of travel, which due to clock-reversing time zones, will go down in the books as one day.

Now to the real news: Galaviz/Young/Crawford/Ounda Ė my original pick in the First Annual All Baghdad Two-Hand-Touchdown Tarmac FOB Ball Tourney Ė got their act together today. They won a game. But Iím telling you: Isaac Ounda, straight from Nairobi, Kenya, is going to figure out this game and become a force. (Heís already a great medic.) A bunch of teams played for about three hours, overwhelming my ability to keep scores and names straight. As best as I can determine, practically every team now stands at 1 win and 1 loss. Thatís parity. They will go until Thanksgiving, when the championship is held.

NFL football wonít be the same that day. Iíll be wearing my spurs, wondering who won.